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The aim of this study is to identify the main differences in compositional style in selected chamber music works by Hendrik Hofmeyr (Sonata per Flauto e Pianoforte, Sonata per Clarinetto e Pianoforte and Sonata per Violoncello e Pianoforte) and Alexander Johnson (Imicabango for flute and piano, Three Incantations for flute, clarinet and piano, and Khalagari for flute and piano). After a thorough analysis of the melodic-, harmonic-, rhythmic-, and structural elements, it was clear that the two composers’ composition style is different from one another. Differences can be identified under the following main points: form structure, melodic and harmonic content, recurring motives and texture. Hofmeyr makes use of traditional form structures, such as sonata form, ternary form, and theme and variations. Johnson does not use traditional form structures and makes use of free form structures, such as: A1-A2-A3-A4-A5- A6-A7 (second movement from Khalagari), ABABC (third movement from Three Incantations), and A1-A2-B-A3-closing section (first movement from Three Incantations). The first movement from Khalagari is the only movement where references to sonata form can be found. Hofmeyr uses existing modes and scales in his works. Both his Sonata per Flauto e Pianoforte and Sonata per Violoncello e Pianoforte contain numerous examples where he makes use of the octatonic scale and the phrygian mode. Examples of the hexatonic scale can be found in the first and second movements of the Sonata per Clarinetto e Pianoforte. Hofmeyr’s chord structures are also based on these scales and modes. Alexander Johnson does not use any of the above-mentioned scales, but rather makes use of his own scale (labeled as the “Johnson-scale” in this study). His chord structures are also based on this scale. Hofmeyr does not use themes and motives from other compositions in the three works in this study. He does however combine themes from earlier movements within a composition. Examples of this can be found in the third movements from Sonata per Flauto e Pianoforte and Sonata per Clarinetto e Pianoforte. Johnson combines motives and themes from other compositions in his works. Motives from Three Incantations can be found in Khalagari. A detailed summary can be found in the conclusion of this study. / Thesis (DMus)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / tm2015 / Music / DMus / Unrestricted

Ce mémoire a reçu l'appui financier du Fonds de recherche du Québec – Société et culture (FRQSC). / Ce mémoire porte sur la musique composée par John Towner Williams (1932- ) pour le film The Empire Strikes Back (1980). Il se limite à la musique extradiégétique, c’est-à-dire celle dont l’origine se situe à l’extérieur du monde fictionnel dans lequel prend place le récit du film. Ce répertoire présente l’intérêt de suivre le modèle classique hollywoodien, où la trame musicale est étroitement associée au déroulement narratif. L’étude propose une analyse de l’organisation des hauteurs musicales (accords, couches à l’intérieur d’une texture stratifiée) et cherche à élucider son impact narratif au sein d’une sélection de scènes. Plutôt que de s’appuyer sur des outils traditionnels propres aux approches tonale fonctionnelle ou schenkérienne, l’analyse s’inspire des théories néo-riemanniennes se traduisant par l’usage des transformations ainsi que des Tonnetz. Ceux-ci sont employés dans leur rôle usuel, mais également comme représentations d’espaces harmoniques pouvant englober des ensembles plus vastes que de simples enchainements d’accords. Ils peuvent par exemple illustrer des motifs ou encore le rapport entre les différentes couches qui composent une texture stratifiée. Cela permet d’aborder le déploiement d’un matériau musical selon l’axe diatonique, hexatonique ou octatonique d’un Tonnetz. De plus, la récurrence de certaines transformations suggère des espaces harmoniques qui contribuent à l’identité des matériaux thématiques au même titre que l’orchestration ou l’usage d’échelles données. Finalement, ce type de trame musicale étant ponctué de fréquentes ruptures et changements, sa construction est considérée à travers de multiples déplacements entre des espaces harmoniques. / This thesis is centered on John Towner Williams’s (b. 1932) music composed for the movie Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980). It concentrates on extra-diegetic music, that is, music that originates outside the fictional world where the story takes place. The interest for this repertoire originates in its conception, which is based on classical Hollywood film scores, specifically in its high degree of correspondence with narrative content. This study proposes an analysis of pitch organization (chords, strata in a multi-layer texture) and seeks to establish the narrative connections that the music maintains with the image throughout selected scenes. Rather than relying on traditional tools drawn from functional or Schenkerian approaches, here analysis borrows from the theoretical method of Neo-Riemannian theories such as transformations and Tonnetz. These are used in a conventional way, but also as representations of harmonic spaces capable of encompassing broader musical events aside from simple triadic progressions. For example, they may represent motives, or the connections between the different strata comprised in a layered texture. This allows musical material to unfold through the diatonic, hexatonic or octatonic axis from the Tonnetz. Furthermore, the reiteration of particular transformations suggests harmonic spaces that establish the identity of thematic material in a way similar to that of orchestration or scales. Finally, because this type of soundtrack is punctuated by frequent breaks and changes, we will consider its construction throughout multiples shifts between harmonic spaces.

Thesis (D.M.A.)--Boston University. This item includes the dissertation paper, handouts, as well as a video of the February 26, 2017 lecture and clarinet performance by Karen Luttik. / Géza Frid (1904-1989) was a significant Hungarian-born Dutch composer and pianist of Jewish descent. His compositional style was highly regarded in the Dutch musical scene of the 20th century; his music has been programmed on multiple occasions by the Concertgebouw Orchestra and in 1949 and 1954 won the City of Amsterdam Music Award. Major influences on Frid’s musical development started in his native Hungary where he studied with Béla Bartók and Zoltán Kodály before his move to the Netherlands. In 1972, he composed an unusually lovely concerto for Bb, A, Eb and bass clarinets (Op. 82) and dedicated it to George Pieterson, principle clarinet with the Concertgebouw Orchestra. Scholarly discussions of Géza Frid’s clarinet music are not to be found in either the US based International Clarinet Society’s The Clarinet, or in the Dutch based De Klarinet. Intensive World Cat library searches have yielded no recordings of this piece, and currently there is not even one recording of Frid’s Concerto for Clarinets on YouTube or in the Naxos Music Library. The Concerto for Clarinets is a significant addition to the standard clarinet repertoire and needs to be introduced to the world wide clarinet community. Furthermore, save for some short selections on the Géza Frid website set up by his son, Arthur Frid and a Wikipedia article, no translations exist of Géza Frid’s autobiographical material. His life story was exceedingly interesting, having been a Jewish composer during the World War II years who was not allowed to perform or compose for years during the German occupation of the Netherlands. Luckily he survived the war years by going into hiding; he managed as part of the musician’s resistance to find ways to perform and work illegally giving clandestine concerts and falsifying documents. These were exceedingly dangerous risks, yet ones Géza Frid and his fellow musicians were willing to take because of their music. Frid published two autobiographical books and numerous articles for the Dutch music magazine Mens en Melodie, (People and Melody) revealing his deep musical insights; especially those relating to the music of the Concerto need to be summarized and translated to English from Dutch. This paper provides a general overview of the historical aspects of Géza Frid’s life, his WWII experiences, and his position as one of many persecuted Jewish musicians at the time. Géza Frid’s autobiographical information relating to his personal friendships with Bartók and Kodály is of interest when considering his music. Summaries and some translations are made of his two Dutch language autobiographical books, In 80 Jaar de Wereld Rond (Around the World in 80 Years) and Oog in Oog Met… (Eye to Eye With…). A basic analysis of Frid’s Concerto for Clarinets is provided regarding form, the various instrument appearances, and a special feature invented by George Pieterson called the ‘tremolo special’. Since this concerto was specifically composed for the Reformed Boehm system clarinets which George Pieterson used, a discussion of the differences between the French, German and Reformed Boehm clarinet systems is included. The performance portion of this project is a historically informed performance of this piece on the specific models of clarinets for which it was written. George Pieterson passed on in April 2016, and this project is a fitting tribute of his teaching to a generation of professional clarinetists in the Netherlands including the author.